Joseph Urban (American, b. Austria, 1872–1933), Stage for Roof Garden Ballroom, Hotel Gibson, Cincinnati, 1928, watercolor, Joseph Urban Archive, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University

Verbal Description

Hello, my name is Caitlin Tracey-Miller and I am Assistant Director of Visitor Research at the museum. I will be reading the verbal description for the watercolor for the Stage for the Roof Garden Ballroom, Hotel Gibson from 1928 in Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban.

This watercolor drawing of the Stage for the Roof Garden Ballroom at the Hotel Gibson in Cincinnati dates from 1928. It was designed by Joseph Urban, an Austrian-born American who lived from 1872 to 1933. This drawing part of the Joseph Urban Archive, Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Columbia University.

This landscape-oriented watercolor drawing of the Stage for the Roof Garden Ballroom at the Hotel Gibson shows details of a wall mural and stage backdrop. In the center of the image are two large squares forming the backdrop. On these, the musicians are surrounded by green vines and pink and purple flowers, playing a cello-type instrument on the left and a harp on the right. The musicians are line drawings in deep brown on a cream ground. Behind the backdrop is a large colorful mural with a black background. On it we see green vines, purple, pink, and blue flowers along with colorful birds and abstract figures in golds, reds, and oranges. The lower half of the mural is gold. A wavy line separates the colorful mural above from the gold below.

Label Copy

Hello, my name is Caitlin Tracey-Miller and I am Assistant Director of Visitor Research at the museum. I will be reading the label for the watercolor for the Stage for the Roof Garden Ballroom, Hotel Gibson from 1928 in Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban.

This watercolor drawing of the Stage for the Roof Garden Ballroom at the Hotel Gibson in Cincinnati dates from 1928. It was designed by Joseph Urban, an Austrian-born American who lived from 1872 to 1933. This drawing part of the Joseph Urban Archive, Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Columbia University.

The summer supper club atop Cincinnati’s Hotel Gibson featured this animated and colorful stage designed by Joseph Urban. Framed by theatrical masks, the stage’s screen depicts musicians on a colorfully ornamental background. Above the screen, we see passages from the painted canvas mural that wrapped the upper portion of the ballroom. Figures and birds move in front of a brilliant floral ground. Metallic gold fabric covered the lower sections of the walls. When visiting Cincinnati to add finishing flourishes to the ballroom, Urban talked publicly about the developing desire of the

American people for color and individuality in their surroundings and dress, crediting their awakening to World War I and advances in modern theater. "Our American soldiers saw European art and came back to see how lifeless our surroundings were."

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